Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Certification of Admissibility for Fish Products, 66681-66682 [2018-27961]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66681-66682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27961]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Certification 
of Admissibility for Fish Products

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 25, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the internet 
at pracomments@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Christopher Rogers at (301) 427-8375 or 
christopher.rogers@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a revision to the information 
collection previously approved as an emergency request. The title of 
the information collection is ``Fishery Products Subject to Trade 
Restrictions Pursuant to Certification under the High Seas Driftnet 
Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Marine Mammal Protection 
Act''. The information collection involves certification of 
admissibility for importation of certain fish and fish products that 
are subject to requirements of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing 
Moratorium Protection Act (Moratorium Protection Act) or the Marine 
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
    Pursuant to a final rule implementing certain provisions of the 
Moratorium Protection Act (RIN 0648-BA89), certain fish or fish 
products of a nation may be subject to import prohibitions. To 
facilitate enforcement, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
requires that other fish or fish products from that nation that are not 
subject to the import prohibitions must be accompanied by documentation 
of admissibility. A duly authorized official/agent of the applicant's 
Government must certify that the fish in the shipments being imported 
into the United States (U.S.) are of a species, or from fisheries, that 
are not subject to an import restriction. If a nation is identified 
under the Moratorium Protection Act and fails to receive a positive 
certification decision from the Secretary of Commerce, products from 
that nation that are not subject to the import prohibitions must be 
accompanied by the documentation of admissibility.
    Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, import certification 
requirements apply in cases where foreign fisheries do not meet U.S. 
standards for marine mammal bycatch mitigation. A final rule (RIN 0648-
AY15) implemented a procedure for making comparability findings for 
nations that are eligible for exporting fish and fish products to the 
United States. The nations may receive a comparability finding to 
export fish and fish products by providing documentation that a 
nation's bycatch reduction regulatory program is comparable in 
effectiveness to that of the United States. Fish and fish products from 
a foreign fishery without a comparability finding are prohibited from 
entry into U.S. commerce. To facilitate enforcement, NMFS requires that 
other fish or fish products from that nation that are not subject to 
the import prohibitions must be accompanied by documentation of 
admissibility.

II. Method of Collection

    The information is collected electronically at the time of entry 
filing in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) of U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection. The exporter completes information on the 
contents/origin of the fish products contained in the export shipment 
and obtains export government certification that the fish meet the U.S. 
admissibility criteria. Entry filers (importers or customs brokers) 
obtain the completed Certification of Admissibility from the exporter 
(attached to the shipment

[[Page 66682]]

packaging or via email or fax) and upload the image file of the 
document to ACE via the Document Image System.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0651.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
Federal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 90 respondents annually filing 10 
responses each.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 150 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $9000.00, given an estimated 
$10.00 in reporting/recordkeeping costs per response.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: December 19, 2018.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-27961 Filed 12-26-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P